


Broken Prodigy

by YukimuraShuusukeGirl



Category: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-14
Updated: 2014-05-09
Packaged: 2017-11-07 17:17:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/433532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YukimuraShuusukeGirl/pseuds/YukimuraShuusukeGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Is tennis all I'm good for?" Ryoma asked, eyes emotionless and dead. No one moved, all they could do was look into his dead eyes, not being able to answer the question asked.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter One:** _

No one ever took notice of him, at least not the real him. All they know is the mask he wares. But after awhile the mask cracks and cracks until it breaks, and shatters into a million pieces, never to be able to be pieced back together again. But every time it broke he somehow found the strength to find a way to put it together. No one seemed to want the real him...no one..

Was his true self that unwanted, that no one took notice of how much pain he was in...how everyday he put on his mask and no matter what he did, it seemed like this...play...a play that wouldn't end.

This is how Ryoma's life was...the life no one took notice of...the life he wished he could get rid of.

His parents never took notice of this, they never saw his empty eyes. The eyes which if any normal person would see on a child his age would cry. He always put his fake smirk on and they bought it, his cocky attitude he portrayed, everyone thought it was him, but it wasn't. Not even close.

His father never questioned him, all he thought was he was a twelve year old kid obsessed with tennis. Nothing strange. Nanjirou thought he raised his son just fine, but he never really payed attention to Ryoma out anything tennis related. He never tried to get to know the kid who wanted a father to play with them, go hiking together, anything normal father's and son's did.

His mother thought he was just being a boy, and ignored it. Thinking if she butted in, it would do nothing, but have her little boy mad at her. She just liked to see him happy, but she didn't think anything was wrong. She ignored all the signs, if they had been seen he could be different then he was now.

None of his team noticed either...but they never really took the time to get to know the real him. Sure they talk at practice, or games...but that is about it. Ryoma never really had contact with them unless they were at practice, and he usually didn't talk during a ranking match, or the games during the tournament.

They never noticed how much he hated it all...all of what he is...he hated it.

Tennis.

_Tennis._

It was the only thing he could think about, yet everything he could care less about. He didn't even like the sport. So why did he continue playing? Why did he devote every  _second_ of his time to hit a ball back and forth, watching as it would fly past him, watching the man on the other side of the net smirk in pleasure? It made every single of his nerves grind, made his hands tighten with distaste, made him want to throw the racquet on the ground and storm off, and he wated to yell or sceam while going that too.

Every time he stepped near that stupid green court with white lines, he wanted to turn around and go back the other way. He felt so angry, so  _used up_. It was all for  _him_ , his  _father_ , but he never acknowledged him, never praised him, never even had a proper conversation with him. He was too engrossed in those 'adult' magazines. He had wanted him to play tennis in the first place. So why did he feel so ripped off, so stepped on, yet never back down? Why did he feel so  _empty_?

Ryoma looked up to the sky, the rain hitting his face, as he sat on the bench in the park. He didn't know what to do. No one was home, they were all gone, back in the states. They said he could stay here till the end of the year, and join them after. But to him it feels like he was abandoned. They left, and they didn't even tell him. The only thing that was left behind was a note, and the note was from his father so, Ryoma didn't even think a couple sentences justified.

'W _hy...did I do something wrong to make them leave_.' Ryoma thought, eyes void of emotions. The rain had all but socked him, but he didn't seem to notice, he was numb, and he finally broke.

"Echizen-Kun?" Ryoma looked up and his eyes met the one who called his name. His eyes widened in shock as the rain started to come down harder, and lightning flashed in the dark sky, his eyes never leaving the person in front of him.

He hurridly stood up, but ended up falling and being caught in the person's arms. Ryoma gave one last look at the person that caught him before all went black.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter Two:** _

Ryoma slowly opened his eyes, his head was hurting but other than that he was awake. Slowly sitting up he held is head and looked around the room. It was average in size and clean. There was a desk, and half closed closet, and a bookshelf with lots of books. A normal room, the thing that caught his eye was the tennis equipment in the corner.

He couldn't remember much after he passed out, not even who found him. It was all a blur to him.

"I see your up." Ryoma jumped not hearing the door open. Looking to where the voice came from he sighed.

"Hai..." He muttered, not meeting the older boys gaze. He had felt intimidated when he met Sanada, but meeting his captain...it was even more intimidating.

"Its good to see you up, Echizen-Kun, and formally meet you." Indigo eyes looked and briefly caught gold.

"hmmm, nice to meet you too, " Ryoma paused, "..Yukimura-san."

The older boy laughed softly, "You really don't talk much, Like Genichiro said." Yukimura gave the boy a look over before sitting down on the end of the bed.

"Now, since greetings are out of the way...would you like to tell me why you were out in the rain with no umbrella?" Yukimura didn't know what happened to the younger boy but he could tell something was wrong.

The look in his eyes told it all, the look of betrayal and loneliness. It was a look he didn't think he would see in the younger boys eyes when he woke.

Ryoma didn't say anything but looked at Yukimura for a few moments before averting his eyes, "...no reason." He gave the tennis captain a smirk before looking out the window at the rain which was still pouring down.

Yukimura's eyes narrowed, he didn't like being lied too but knew if he pushed it he wouldn't get anything at all from the younger boy, "Is that so...is there someone I can call to pick you up or..." He paused seeing something flicker in the boys eyes making Yukimura frown.

Sighing Yukimura stood up, "...Get some rest, we will talk some more in the morning...It is late." He saw the look of suprise on Ryoma's face before the boy nodded.

"Hai." Ryoma muttered, then went back to looking out the window.

Taking a deep breath, Yukimura gave the boy another goodnight before leaving the room, the tennis captain had a call to make.

Ryoma sat here listening to the footsteps before sighing, "He noticed something..." The tone was unbelieving. His own team didn't notice something was wrong at practice that day, and they know him better than the Rakkai Dai tennis captain.

Why is that Yukimura noticed something was wrong, and not his own tennis team?

"Why.." Ryoma muttered as he laid back down and closed his eyes tight to not let any of his tears escape.

_Why?_

* * *

Yukimura frowned as he left the young tennis player in his room to sleep, he noticed something wrong. The emotions in Echizen Ryoma's eyes wouldn't lie.

Something was really off and no one was fixing it.

He had to wonder why none of his teammates noticed.

Why didn't his parents?

Why was he out in the rain by himself?

There were so many questions running through his mind, and no answers could be provided.

Taking a deep breath Yukimrua made his way to the phone, he needed more information and if anyone could give it to him it would be the data-master on his team. He would be able to provide him some insight on this matter at hand.

Or he hoped.

The phone rang three times before someone answered the phone, "Ah, Renji, I need everything you have on Echizen Ryoma, from tennis to his daily life."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short Chapter, yes, but hope you all like it all the same -_-; I wanted to get this out before I went to work! Tell me your thoughts. I am also wigging this. Sooo yeah!
> 
> Anything you want to happen?
> 
> Interactions? Ect? Review and tell me now. I am trying to set up an outline for this fic now.
> 
> Read and review! Tell me your thoughts!


	3. Chapter 3

Ryoma had sat looking out the window for a while long when Yukimura had left, he didn't want to go back to sleep. His dreams always woke him up and made him somewhat jittery.

He didn't want to sleep when all he would dream was being alone.

Ryoma was tired of being alone...he was lonely.

He was tired of keeping his mask up. He wanted to be able to smile again...to be able to laugh because he wanted too even if there wasn't anything funny to laugh at.

Was it such a bad thing he wanted these things?

Did it make him a bad person he didn't want to keep up the mask his father had wanted him to have. Did it make him a bad son?

Sighing Ryoma rubbed his eyes, making sure the tears that wanted to spill over didn't fall.

' _Tears don't help you. Get up and start over again.'_

Those were words his father told him. It echoed in his head every time he was about to start crying. He didn't want to disappoint his father so he followed his rules.

No matter how much Ryoma didn't want to follow those rules...he did.

Looking outside Ryoma watched the rain, it was like the sky was crying for him. The tears he wanted to cry the sky cried. The tears he so wished someone would see...

He wanted someone to see how hurt he was...but Ryoma had too much pride to actually let it happen.

No matter what he was to keep his mask in place.

Even if it broke him as he did so.

* * *

Yukimura Seiichi shut his phone. He didn't get a lot of information, but he got some. Renji was going to dig some more and see what else he could find on the young tennis player.

He had learned little things. Things about his tennis style, about some things about his eating habits...and a little about his family. Nothing much though.

Nothing that would make him understand what was going through Ryoma Echizen's mind.

Ryoma didn't know but Seiichi wasn't one to let things go. He saw something in the boys eyes and he was going to figure it out.

That and the lie.

Lying wasn't something he tolerated.

He was going to figure out what Ryoma Echizen was hiding.

"What are you hiding." Seiichi muttered as he glanced at the room down that hall. He didn't get anything good from Renji...but he knew he would have some good information for him when arriving at school the next day.

First thing's first though...what was he gonna do with Ryoma.

An idea lit itself up in the tennis Captain's head as a small smirk graced his lips, "yes...tomorrow shall be interesting."

Too bad no one else knew of the Captain's planes...for tomorrow was going to be more than interesting.

_Way more._

 


End file.
